National Geographic travel photographer of the year 2016 winners

The National Geographic travel photography contest is finished and below are the best of the best.
Source National Geographic

#1 Winter Horseman (Grand prize)

The winter in Inner Mongolia is very unforgiving. At a freezing temperature of minus 20 and lower, with a constant breeze of snow from all directions, it was pretty hard to convince me to get out of the car and take photos. I saw horsemen showing off their skills and commanding the steed from a distance. I quickly grabbed my telephoto lens and captured the moment when one of the horsemen charged out from the morning mist.
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Inner Mongolia was taken by Anthony Lau

#2 First Place Winner- Cities

Marrakesh, Morocco, is an exciting city for any traveler, but I was tired of walking on the crowded street and being asked for money from local people, so I was looking for a place to settle down. Even though there were a lot of people in Ben Youssef Madrasa, it was still a more quiet and relaxing place than outside. Suddenly a beautiful reflection appeared on the shallow pool when I was taking a rest.
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Marrakesh, Morocco taken by Ben Youssef

#3 First Place Winner, Nature- Wherever You Go, I Will Follow You

It was when I drove back home feeling disappointed with the fact that I had finished the day in vain without any anticipated subject that I heard the joyful voice from the car window like “quack, quack!” There they were: red foxes. Around the end of the winter, they meet the season of love; they care for and love each other enough to make us jealous.
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Hokkaido, Japan taken by Hiroki Inoue

#4 Honorable Mention, Cities- Divide, Manhattan

From a doorless helicopter looking south on Central Park West, dividing the architecture and Central Park, on November 5, 2014, a day before my 27th birthday. The flight was my birthday gift.
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New York, United States Taken by Kathleen Dolmatch

#5 Honorable Mention, Nature- Bears On A Berg

This photo was taken far out on the sea ice in the Davis Straight off the coast of Baffin Island. This mother polar bear and her yearling are perched atop a huge snow-covered iceberg that got “socked in” when the ocean froze over for the winter. To me, the relative “smallness” of these large creatures when compared to the immensity of the iceberg in the photo represents the precariousness of the polar bear’s reliance on the sea and sea ice for its existence.
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Nunavut, Canada taken by John Rollins

#6 Second Place Winner, People- Rooftop Dreams, Varanasi

I arrived at my guesthouse in Varanasi at 5:30 am, I instinctively climbed the 7 sets of stairs to the rooftop (which happened to be the highest in the vicinity) to see the sunrise over the famous Ganges River. As the sun was rising I looked over the right-hand side of the balcony and my jaw dropped with disbelief. Below were families – mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sister, and dogs all sleeping on the top of their houses. It was mid-summer in Varanasi and sleeping sans AC was difficult.
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Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India taken by Yasmin Mund

#7 Third Place Winner, Nature- Lagunas Baltinache (Atacama Desert)

The Baltinache Ponds, also called Hidden Ponds are a set of seven salt ponds located in the area of the Salt Cordillera, near San Pedro de Atacama, in the second region of northern Chile, in the Atacama desert. After much research, I believe to be the first photographer to publish night photos of this place, but it is still necessary to confirm this information. Tech Details: Photography is done in one shot. The foreground was illuminated by the moonlight.
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Antofagasta, Chile taken by Victor Lima

#8 Second Place Winner, Nature- Double Trapping

I was in the Brazilian Pantanal along the Rio Negrinho. I realized that the river, at certain points of the loops, created places where there were many yacare caimans. I saw a yacare sink suddenly, and I immediately looked for the best location to photograph when it resurfaced. The whole thing lasted only a fraction of a moment.
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Brazilian Pantanal was taken by Massimiliano Bencivenni

#9 Third Place Winner, People- Remote Life At -21 Degree

Kinnaur tribal old women in a remote village in Himachal Pradesh carrying big log back home to warm up her house
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Himachal Pradesh, India was taken by mattia passarini

#10 Second Place Winner, Cities- Silenced

This photo was taken on my last trip to Guangzhou, China. This place is the school dormitories of South China Normal University. When I was hanging around, most of them were taking a break. After lunchtime, they needed to go back to study
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Guangdong Sheng, China taken by Wing Ka H.

#11 Third Place Winner, Cities- Celestial Reverie

Lightning seemingly strikes Komtar Tower, the most iconic landmark of George Town, capital of Penang state in Malaysia. It is symbolic of the rejuvenation that the city, famous for a unique blend of centuries-old buildings and modern structures, has enjoyed in recent years. While many of its old neighborhoods fell into neglect in the 1990s and early 2000s, UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2008 sparked a transformation, and today, they are all part of a vibrant tourist destination.
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Pulau Pinang, Malaysia taken by Jeremy Tan

#12 Honorable Mention, people- Muscle Beach Gym

A weightlifter lifts a barbell loaded with heavy plates while a bodybuilder performs an aerial handstand at the Muscle Beach Gym in Venice Beach, California.
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Venice Beach, California, United States Taken by Dotan Saguy

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